The Search
by xXNightwaterXx
Summary: This is a cheesy Percabbeth story. Very romantic and emmbarrassing, but... cheesy. This is kind of like a one shot but it has several chapters in one. Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.


Hey, this is Sabrina and I'm kinda new at this but bare with me. This is actually a story with several chapters in it ,but I had wrote them all as one before I got my fanfiction. I hope you likey!

-Sabrina

It's kind of cheesy… (Lex the SPAZZ)

* * *

Chapter 1: We go to a bridal shop

"How much farther?" Graver asked the cab driver as he ate the last of his apples. His hair was plastered with mud and grim, like me and Annabeth's, but he looked more angshus to get out of the cab then anyone else.

"Only another mile or two." The cab driver answered with a grumble. Grover was fidgeting to my left and Annabeth was staring out the window to my right. We were on are way to 'The Manhattan Grand Ball' after weeks of fighting monsters and sleeping in allies. We all looked like death (And I know what that looks like), and probley smelled like it to, but we had to go.

There would be hundreds of fancied up mortals crammed into a small space were it would be hard to see much of anything, which was why we needed to go. Annabeth believed that Luke would be recruiting half-bloods at the dance because the place would be so packed. We didn't really have a plan, but we figured how this would work. Most likely we would sneak in, start a fight, then run out, but that's just if we get lucky.

"Wait!" Annabeth exclaimed and the cab came to a quick halt. The sound of car horns filled the air and I gave Annabeth a look that said _'Are you crazy?'_ "You can just let us out here." she said while opening the door to the cab.

"You sure miss?" the cab driver asked with a slightly confused expression. "Grand Halls only a block or two away." Annabeth shook her head.

"No. Right here's good." She answered stepping out of the cab, and we followed. She gave the cab driver his money and flashed him a pretty smile. We waited for the driver to pull away, and once he was out of sight I turned to Annabeth.

"Why did you do that?" I asked Annabeth confused. The plan had been to get to Grand Hall early to set up, but there was no hope for that on foot.

"Percy, look at us. We're covered from head to toe in mud and look like we've been on the street for weeks." (Which we had) "If we walk in like this they'll just drag us back out." She answered.

I looked down at myself. My cloths were soaked in mud and had gaping holes in them. My sneakers were sliced from a fight earlier that week, and I knew that my hair was probley a mess. Annabeth was right. They would never let us in looking like this.

"What can we do about it?" I asked and she smiled.

"Look behind you, Seaweed Brain." She said, and I turned to see a small pink shop with fluffy dresses and suits in the window. The sign above the door read 'Chase Bridal and Formal', and I gave a dreaded sigh.

"Uh-o." I said and Annabeth laughed.

"This is my aunt's shop. She knows all about my mom and camp..." Annabeth said as we began to walk into the fluffy store. "She'll help us any way she can."

A little bell rang as we walked into the shop. The inside was just as pink and fluffy as the out. Dresses lined one wall and suites lined the other. There seemed to be four dressing rooms crammed into a corner, and the back wall was lined with wigs. Several stands were spread throw out the store showing the nicest thing they had, and there was a desk in the middle of it all, were a woman sat taking inventory.

The woman had long dark hair and warm brown eyes. She was tall and pretty, but she seemed frustrated with her work. She wore a business-suite-like top, but the look was ruined by her jeans and flip flops. She looked to be in her early twenties, but it was hard to tell. When she looked up and saw us her face brightened.

"How may I help..." She trailed off as we got closer. I thought that she would think that we were just some street kids and would kick us out, but then a huge smile spread across her face.

"Annabeth? Annabeth is that you?" She asked, and Annabeth smiled.

"Hi aunt Melonie." she replied in an embarrassed whisper. Melonie quickly got out from behind her desk, and ran up to Annabeth. She smiled the same bright smile as Annabeth when they hugged, and then she turned to me and Grover.

"Who are your friends?" Melonie asked and Annabeth's face fell.

"Are we alone?" Annabeth replied and Melonie's expression became as close to serious as I thought she could look.

"Oh, yes. Don't worry. I was just about to close up for the night. I already kicked everybody out." She finished with a smile.

"I'm Percy." I said, and her eyes widened.

"Wait your godly parent is…" she trailed off unable to rember. I laughed.

"Poseidon." I answered.

"Oh, yes. I have herd _so_ much about you. It's _very _nice to meet you." Melonie said. I glanced at Annabeth, and her cheeks glowed bright red which made me smile.

"My names, um, Grover, and I'm a, a strayer." Grover whispered shyly, and Melonie laughed.

"Nice to meet you too. Now what are you doing here? I have a feeling that you didn't just stop by to say hello." Melonie replied, and Annabeth's smile faded. She quickly explained why we were at her aunts little boutique, and how we needed Melanie's help.

"Alright. I can get you and Percy all dolled up, but I'm afraid that I have nothing for Grover's, um, special circumstances." She answered gesturing to Grovers baggie jeans and cruchs that made him look slightly human. There was no way that we could get him in a tux without standing out.

"That's fine," Annabeth answered. "But I'm going to need more of a disguise. Luke will recognize me really easy if I don't. Can you make me look, kinda, different?" Melonie laughed then gestured around the room.

"How can I not?" She replied with a huge smile. She grabbed me and Annabeth by the hands, and dragged us into are dressing rooms.

* * *

Chapter 2: We play dress-up

Melonie decided to 'help' me first. She brought me three different sized suites saying that it had to fit 'perfectly', she toke for ever picking a undershirt and tie color that would 'make my eyes glow', and she insisted on fixing my tangled mess of hair. She washed, cut, and styled it for what felt like forever.

I couldn't help but feel like we were wasting time. While we were here playing dress-up, Luke had probley recruited several half-bloods. I thought about leaving before she was finished, when she said.

"Done."

She lead me back into the main room were Annabeth and Grover were waiting.

I walked into two shocked faces.

"Take a look Percy." Melonie said, spinning me tords the mirror. I turned to a sight I hadn't expected to see. I wore a well fit black suit that matched my now-clean hair. The undershirt was a sea blue which made my already shockingly blue eyes brighter, and a greenish-teal tie. I smiled as I turned back to my friends and Melonie.

"Thanks, Melonie, It'll work perfectly." I said and she smiled. Melonie turned to Annabeth.

"What do _you _think?" She asked, and Annabeth blushed.

"As he said." She replied looking down at the floor. "It'll work perfectly."

"Well, I guess it's your turn now Annabeth." Melonie finished. I watched as Annabeth reluctantly walked over to her aunt, and into a dressing room. She was in there for a total of forty minutes in which me and Grover hardly talked. Despite that, when Annabeth and Melonie walked in it became even quiter.

"Well what do you think?" Melonie asked me, but I had trouble finding words. Annabeth wore a long slivery blue dress that made her eyes sparkle, and flowed as she walked. She wore little diamond- studded high heels that I knew she would hate, and a small necklace with sea stones on them. She wasn't wearing any make-up, but all the mud and grim was gone to reveal her pretty light features and an athletic tan. She wore a long brown wig, for Luke could spot her blond curls a mile away. Her cheeks were red from embarrassment, which made me laugh.

"She looks…" I searched for a word that _I_ could say. "Perfect."

"Um, guys?" Grover cut in. "We better go. The ball starts soon, and I doubt that Luke and his friends are going to stay long." I looked at the clock.

"He's right. Annabeth gather everybody's stuff, we go to go." I said. We got all are supplies and started heading out the door when I stopped and looked at Melonie.

"Thanks." I said in a polite tone, and she smiled.

"No problem. Just keep an eye on Annabeth for me. She'll listen to you." Melonie replied, and I tried not to laugh.

"Annabeth listen to me? You've got to be joking." I said, and Melanie's eyes light up.

"You'd be surprised…" she trailed off. Annabeth and Grover were at the curb waiting for me, and Annabeth had started to get impatient.

"Percy!" she yelled, and Melonie laughed. She gave me a wink.

"Goodbye, Percy." Melonie finished, and I ran out to catch up with my friends.

* * *

Chapter 3: We go dancing

It took ten minutes on foot to get from Melanie's shop to Grand Hall. When we finally arrived we didn't go in strait away. The place would be packed, and we really didn't know what we were going to do. We had to make up a plan.

"All right. Annabeth and I will be in the ballroom looking for Luke and other half-bloods. Grover, you need to be near the circuit breaker incase we need a…distraction." Everyone nodded.

Grover ran off tords the back of the building while Annabeth and I got ready to walk into the grand hall. I held my hand out for her to take.

"Ready?" I asked. She took my hand then smiled.

"Ready, Seaweed Brain."

* * *

The entrance to the grand hall was amazing by itself. It was held by tall pillars' at the top of a large set of marble stairs. The world outside was dark and starless, but the entrance glowed with light and music. Annabeth and I pretended to be a normal, happy, teen couple, but it was kinda hard because, well, we didn't exactly no what that was.

It tock awhile to get through the crammed entrance, but once we did I was shocked to find myself in the second largest room I'd ever seen. The room was made almost entirely out of marble. A large sparkling chandelier dangled above the large crowd of people, and a live orcastra played on the other side of the hall. Tables and chairs lined one side of the room, but the rest was open for dancing.

Annabeth coughed quietly into one hand to get my attention. I turned to her, and she gestured to her hand that I was still holding. I quickly dropped it.

"Sorry" I whispered, and she rolled her eyes. Heat crept into my cheeks as we sat down at a far off table, and began to search faces. A moment later a skinny waiter approached us.

"Hello! Oh, what a cute young couple! Why don't you two go dance with everyone?" He asked.

"No. We're fine." Annabeth quickly replied. I wondered why the waiter had asked us and not some other people sitting down; when I realized that we were the _only ones_ sitting. The goal was not to be noticed, and I knew that if we stayed there that that goal would never be a reality.

"Annabeth," I said choosing my words carefully in front of the waiter. "If we don't dance are, um, friends will think something's up." A moment later she nodded. She understood that we had to do this weather we wanted to or not.

"Wonderful!" the waiter exclaimed before walking away, and I tried not to laugh.

"Someone like there job a little _too much_." I whispered to Annabeth, and she smiled. We walked over tords the orcastra, and awkwardly began to dance.

The music was soft and slow, but I hardly heard it. All I could hear was my heart beating in my ears, and the suttle sound of Annabeth's high heels scraping the marble floor. My arms feel perfectly around her waist, and her hands slowly hugged my neck. For a moment we didn't say a word.

"So…" I started, and she laughed which made me relax a little.

"So?" she kidded with a smile. I had trouble looking at her in the wig. She was still beautiful, but it wasn't the look I knew. It wasn't what I loved. It wasn't her.

"I think I liked you better as a blond." I teased. She gave me a look that said 'I'd-kill-you-if-we-weren't-here'.

"And I liked you better coated in mud and smelling like a dead horse." She chilled, and I smiled curiously.

"Really?" I asked. She shrugged, and looked down at her feet.

"In a way, yeah." She said in almost a whisper. We went silent for a moment.

"When _do_ you like me best?" I asked wanting to know where this conversation was going. She didn't answer and her eyes never left the floor. "What do you like about me, Annabeth?"

"I like when your in a fight that you shouldn't win but somehow meracously do, and how even when you do something crazy you always come out on top. I like how you can still smile when the world seems to be falling apart, and how you drool when you sleep." She said with a nervous laugh. " I like the way your eyes light up when you talk like you really care about what the other person has to say, and…" she trailed off. I held her closer and tighter, hanging on every word. "And I like knowing that where ever I am that you're never far behind." Her eyes left the floor and meet mine. They were a brilliant gray that light up her whole face. She smiled weakly and finished. "I just like… you."

I was shocked. I had known Annabeth for years, she was my best friend, but she had never said anything like this. She wasn't one to let her feelings out, let alone feelings for…me.

"Annabeth," I started, but she began to pull away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't…" she tried, but I pulled her in close. Are faces only inches apart, as I said,

"I like how you don't care about your looks. How you wake up, and your hairs a tangled mess. I like how you know what I'm thinking and how you tease me. How you're always at my side. I like how you can be beautiful when you're not even trying, and how you try to boss me around. I like hearing you call me Seaweed Brain. I like everything about you." I finished in a whisper, and her eyes held my gaze.

I had never realized how much I cared for Annabeth. I'd always known that she was one of my best friends, but we had never been this close, never said these words. I felt my arms draw her closer. I was slightly aware of her pulling me in as well, but I barely noticed as are eyes closed, and I leaned down to kiss her. Are lips weren't even an inch apart, when the music came to a sudden stop.

* * *

Chapter 4: We kill the lights

Are eyes flickered open as we herd a signal pair of foot steps in the back of a motionless crowd. None of the mortals in the crowd moved or spoke as the foot steps got closer, and their owner began to clap. Then I saw him. It was Luke grinning with pleasure as the mortals moved out of his way with a confused expression I'd seen before.

"Annabeth," I said under my breath. "Could Luke make unofe mist to _control _the mortals?"

"It's possible, but…" She trailed off. I realized that I still had my arms raped around her and quickly released.

"Well, well, well. Annabeth and Percy. What do we have here?" Luke asked as he approached us. I reached for my pocket were I kept Riptide, a lethal weapon discised as a pen, but Annabeth grabbed my hand.

"Don't. We can't afford to hurt any half-bloods that might be in the mix of mortals." She said, and I nodded never letting my eyes off Luke. How could I fight him without a sword?

"Yes, Percy. Listen to your girlfriend. I see that you two decided to crash the party." Luke said walking around us in circles. He began to twirl his figures in Annabeth's wig. "Interesting look. I would have thought that you two would have been better about blending though. Standing there in the middle of the room, staring lovingly at each other, while everyone else is dancing isn't very 'blending'." He said, and I could feel my cheeks burning.

"Sorry to disappoint." I snapped back. "Why are you here Luke?" I asked trying to get him to stop talking about Annabeth's and mine awkward moment.

"Why do you think?" he answered with a devious smile. He made making fun of him so easy.

"To dance? Wow, Luke. I didn't think that was your thing, but hey whatever works, right?" I replied with a not-so-friendly smile. Though he tried to act like I didn't piss him off, I could hear anger in his voice as he said,

"I'm here to send a message to all half-bloods like you. Kronos is rising, and no one can stop him. His minions are everywhere, and more are joining. It's as simple as this, Percy: You can join us or suffer." He finished with a devious smile. I reached for Annabeth's hand. If we couldn't fight here I knew were we could.

"Suffer." I answered, and Luke smiled. He slowly razed his hand, and I saw dark figures in the back of the crowd begin to move.

"On the count of three." Annabeth whispered, her grip on my hand tightening. "One. Two…"

"Now Grover!" I yelled, and the world went black.

* * *

Chapter 5: We sleep with the fishes

Of course Luke picked that moment to wake up all the mortals. People screamed in the dark, and cursed as we pushed past them. I held onto Annabeth for dear life as we pushed people out of are path, and ran for the door. I could hear the unmistakable growl of hell-hounds running behind me, but didn't try to fight them. Not here.

We darted trough the exit and began running down side-streets. I had an idea.

"Were the Hades are we going?" Annabeth asked as I made a sharp left into an open field. Somehow I could feel which way to go. The way to water.

"River," I yelled. I turned my head to see about three dozen hell-hounds only a few yards away. There night-black and skinny, furless body's far to close. There glowing red eyes happy for the chase. "And fast."

I banked right, and stopped cold. A wide river flowed soundlessly in are path. It reflected the moon, and lapped quietly on rocks. I almost felt bad for having to ruin its peace.

"What now?" Annabeth asked as the hell-hounds rounded the corner. I willed for the water to rise. I could feel the sudden stop in the current, the pull in pressure, as the water began to reach for the sky. Hell-hounds began to lung, but Annabeth stabbed them with her knife sending them down with a whimper before disinagrating.

The water had reached its maximum height and rumbled with life. I lifted my arms and the water grew. Then I motioned forward, and the water shot for the last dozen-or-so hell-hounds. I grabbed Annabeth's hand so the water would soar over her as tons of water poured down hounds.

I could feel them feel them spinning under the pressure and gasping for air, but I knew they wouldn't drowned. I didn't have the heart to kill them with my powers. It wasn't right.

"We don't have a lot of time." I said to Annabeth, "Get in the river." She nodded. I watched as she dove in, and prayed that she be okay until I could come. A few moments later the pull in my gut released and water stopped falling from the sky. I ran to the rivers edge and jumped in.

Right before I hit the water, I glimpsed at the shore. I saw Luke soaked in the mix of whimpering hell-hounds staring strait at me with a devious grin.

* * *

Once underwater I saw Annabeth struggling not to float to the surface. I quickly made it where she could breath and walk on the river floor like me, and she gave a relieved sigh. I laughed.

"Shut up!" she exclaimed jokingly then punched me in the arm. I smiled. "Why are we down here?" she asked gesturing to the vast nothingness around us. We had planed on meeting Grover after the ball but, well… plans change.

"I think were better off spending the night down here. It's late and who knows what 'surprises' Luke may have on shore." I answered half-heartedly, and Annabeth awkwardly nodded. It wasn't that we were tired as much as embarrassed. We had come so close to kissing…

We sat down on the river floor, and took off are shoes. I saw that Annabeth's feet were red and blistered from running in her high heel, but I noticed something else too. It was the faintest color different in the water around her leg. She was bleeding.

"Annabeth!" I exclaimed reaching for her ankle. She had bight and claw marks all over her left leg. The gashes were large and deep, so I knew they had to hurt. The water around her leg was a murky brownish-red which told me that if me were still on land she would be gushing blood.

"I shouldn't have let them live!" I yelled. I was so angry that Luke would have let the hell-hounds hurt her. "I should have drowned them all while I had the chance!" I was furious, but Annabeth laid her hand on my shoulder to calm me down. I amazed how with the simplest touch she could make me feel completely different.

"It's nothing. I'm okay." She whispered, and sadly I knew that she ment it. She didn't care if Luke let her get hurt, or if she was in pain. As long as she could fend for herself, she was happy. But I wasn't.

I willed for the water to heal her like it does with me. I felt a genital pull in my gut as water began to swirl around her ankle. It spun wildly until Annabeth's leg was no longer visible then came to a sudden stop. Were deep red gashes had been was now new healed skin. Annabeth looked amazed, and then let out a small laugh.

"You're incredible. You know that?" Annabeth asked in almost a whisper, and I smiled.

"So I've herd." I answered jokingly, and received another light punk in the arm.

"I'm not going too drowned in the middle of the night, am I?" she asked with a smile. I toke off my tie and replied.

"Not unless you really tick me off." She glared at me then smiled again. Her silvery blue dress floated genially in the water, but was shredded at the bottom from the hell-hound. The waters natural blue tent brought out the sliver in the dress which made her eyes glow, but the bottom half (Or what was left of it) was stained with blood and dirt. Her wig had somehow disappeared in the whole mess to reveal her long golden curls floating around in the water, and her smile was as brilliant as ever.

"I'm really sorry that you had to fend off hell-hounds by yourself. I didn't think that they would have time to…" I started but she motioned for me to stop.

"Don't worry about it, Seaweed Brain." She said with a smile. I couldn't help, but feel happy to have this time alone with her. I had so many questions to ask her, but I was scared of losing the happy moment we already had.

"Um, about the ball…" I started, searching for the words. "Did you really mean all thoughs things you said about me?" I wait for the awkward silence to pass. I didn't want to make things between us complicated, but I had to know.

"Did you?" she replied, her eyes wide, and I thought back to what I said. It was all true. Every word and more.

"Yeah. I did." I said in a whisper, and she smiled slightly.

"You really like how I boss you around and call you Seaweed Brain?" she asked.

"I love it." I said without thinking, but I realized that it was true. I loved everything she did, and I loved being with her. I tried not to think about it, but I realized that I cared about her more then a friend should.

"I… I meant what I said too." She said in a whisper, and I gulped. Did we both like each other _more_ then are other friends, or did we like each other in a different_ way._ "I care about you a lot, Seaweed Brain. You know that, right?"

` "Like you care about everyone else at camp?" I asked, and her eyes flickered with nervousness as she answered.

"No. It's more then that."

I thought about what this all meant. I searched for words that could tell her how much I cared for her, but I was at a loss. All I could think about was how beautiful she looked, and how close we were now sitting.

"I love waking up to your mud-crusted curls in my face and hearing you laugh at my stupid jokes. I love the way you smile when I talk, and how you listen to my crazy ideas. I love everything about you, and everything you do. I just love being near you." I said and her eye's got an excited glimmer to them. "I love you, Annabeth." I finished with a whisper. We sat there staring at each other for what felt like forever, before she spoke.

"I love you too, Seaweed Brain." She whispered, and then raped her arms around the back of my neck. Are eyes closed as we leaned in, and we kissed.

We kissed.

It was just about the greatest feeling in the world. We sat there for a long time, just kissing, before we heard a light giggle.

We pulled away for a moment to find that a small group of Naiads were watching us, before they quickly darted away. Annabeth rested her head on my chest and laughed. Naiads loved to gossip. My dad would definitely be hearing about this.

"Great." I said sarcastically. "Every water creature in the world will be talking about The Son of the Sea God and a daughter of Athena's little make-out setion." I looked down at Annabeth. "But that's okay." And it was. Whoever wanted to know could. I didn't care.

Annabeth smiled, and we went back to kissing. Last thing I rembered before falling asleep was that I loved Annabeth, and that my world would never be the same.

* * *

Thanx for reading my story! Alot of people added this to there favorites list, but I just wanted to mention that I wrote another story called The New. I believe that I did a beter job on that one, and I would realy realy like it if you went to my profile page, accsessed my other story, and read that one to. Thanxs for reading! :)


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